The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has re-arraigned the Accountant-General of Bauchi State, Sirajo Muhammad Jaja, for alleged involvement in a N1.4 billion fraud.
Jaja was re-arraigned alongside a bureau de change operator, Aliyu Abubakar, before Justice O.A. Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Tuesday. They are facing five counts of money laundering, stealing, and illegal transfer of public funds.
Abubakar is being charged under the business name Jasfad Resources Enterprise, which the EFCC claims is a fake bureau de change company. Three other persons, Abubakar Muhammed Hafiz, Ari Manga, and Muhammed Aminu Bose, were also mentioned in the case but are currently on the run.
The EFCC said the crimes were committed between October 29 and December 31, 2024, and involved the illegal movement of N1,192,234,627 from the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury account in United Bank for Africa to Jasfad Resources Enterprise’s account in the same bank.
The commission also claimed that an extra N296,191,000 was laundered between January 3 and March 14, 2025.
These actions, according to the EFCC, go against Sections 18(2)(b) and 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
When the charges were read in court, both Jaja and Abubakar pleaded not guilty.
Their lawyers, Gordy Uche (SAN) and Chris Uche (SAN), asked the court to let the defendants remain on the bail they had earlier been granted. They also asked for more time to go through the updated charges.
The EFCC’s lead lawyer, Abba Mohammed (SAN), did not oppose the bail request.
Justice Egwuatu agreed to keep the original bail conditions and postponed the case to July 21, 2025, when the trial will begin.
